Check out the denon 3910 or 5900 DVD/CD players. An incredible two channel audio system that reconverts to analog etc. Of course at $1499.00 and around $3500.00 they better play well.
I have the denon 3910 and it is an incredible piece for two channel oldies playing with a cd format.
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Audio
One area the DVD-3910 has a huge leg up on the DVD-2900 is the inclusion of digital transmission of high-resolution muti-channel audio. This allows use of the DVD-3910 as a digital transport and leaves your high-end SSP or flagship receiver to handle all the processing of DVD-Audio and SACD material, eliminating the cumbersome six RCA analog connections. However, for the listening tests I wanted to hear what the player was capable of and used the analog connections for the listening tests.
I was pretty skeptical at first, and thought how much difference can there be going from the Denon DVD-2900, already a very good sounding player? I couldn’t believe how much the soundstage opened up and the depth of image was increased. One of the first times I had heard very good front to back and vertical imaging, in addition to left to right from stereo was on fellow writer Kris Deering’s latest configuration. He is using an Anthem D1 SSP, Onix Reference 3 loudspeakers, and Anthem Statement Amplifiers with a Denon DVD-5900. Now to be fair, most good two channel setups at least yield decent vertical imaging.
In comparison, my current setup with Axiom M60ti loudspeakers, Pioneer Elite 53tx receiver, and Denon DVD-2900, while sounding excellent and detailed, was much more collapsed than Kris’ setup. Imaging was limited to mainly left to right, with just a few feet of perceived vertical, and little projected to the rear with two channel. In addition, the overall soundstage was just more compact, not extending as far past the speakers in width or depth. I chalked it up to my room and/or speakers.
The DVD-3910 squashed my little theory! Using the stereo SACD track on David Elias’s The Window, the soundstage was huge, and detail impeccable. Once I put in Beck’s Sea Change, I was floored. There it was, my coveted rear imaging with different effects to the side and behind me, complete with a depth extending well behind my mains. I had to double check that it was still reading the stereo track! I put the DVD-2900 right back in the system and replayed the same track, now knowing exactly what I was listening for. Sure enough, detail levels and left to right imaging were almost identical. However the very obvious and monstrous depth of field was shrunk down, with the same effects that were projected just behind my head falling only about two feet in front of the mains. For me this opened my eyes to real differences in sound between DVD players, even from the same company, in the same price range.
Conclusions
The Denon DVD-3910 is a grand slam. From the excellent video and audio performance, to the absolutely phenomenal setup options and available video control parameters and audio processing, this player delivers. The wide range of digital and analog connections for both audio and video covers almost every base imaginable. This DVD player is the current king of the hill at anywhere near this price range. My only question is, why did it take this long to get a DVD player like this? |
